Chapter 40

40. Honor (5)

A massive mansion. Within it, a laboratory.

A woman in a black mask suddenly stopped moving.

Squeak!

The tattoo on her shoulder began to burn, and soon the flesh around it grotesquely twisted.

The pain of the burning flesh. Yet, the woman did not utter a single groan.

"…The fragment of the demon is dead?"

In a place where one would not easily think a demon could exist, beneath the lamp.

Two quizzes.

And the spies secretly planted here.

How did this happen, despite being so well hidden?

A situation hard to understand. But the doubt was brief.

Because reports from the spies hidden in the academy had come in.

"Lucid Manor issued a public apology?"

It was absurd enough that they apologized for something that happened 20 years ago, and even more so that the youngest of the family, who reported her own sister, did it.

And.

"The fragment of the demon was killed by that child, you say…"

The woman fell silent, lost in thought.

The silence did not last long. Her lips moved as she organized her thoughts.

"Rodelin. It would be best to take care of her in advance."

The woman stroked the tattoo on her arm.

A fourth-rank demon, Viness.

Since the fragment of the demon is an eighth-rank demon, it's easy to understand how terrifying Viness is.

"Eliminate her. No matter the means."

"Yes, Lady Lizveld."

The moment the worst hidden piece, sending a demon to the academy, was activated.

In the game, the fragment of the demon usually meets its end after Episode 3.

By then, Lizveld is busy spreading corruption across the continent.

She has no time to care about the death of an eighth-rank demon, but now it's different.

The episode has just begun.

Zero wouldn't know about this hidden piece.

The fastest path to a bad ending.

Until the fourth-rank demon Viness arrives at the academy.

D-30.

* * *

Roll, roll.

The eldest of the Lucid family.

Lucia rolled on her bed.

She had been doing the same thing for a month, but it always felt new and exciting.

"Phew, look at how much fat is on this butt!"

Slap!

A middle-aged woman slapped Lucia's buttocks with her palm.

But there was no significant reaction. Instead, she laughed as if it tickled.

"Nanny, do you know the latest trend? Men go crazy for this."

"…Yes, I guess they do. I'd go crazy too!"

Slap!

A powerful strike, infused with mana.

Only then did Lucia scream.

"Ah! What's wrong, why did you hit me!"

"Go out and show that butt to the men who go crazy for it! Please, just go outside!"

"Okay, are you done with today's lecture? Then give me some food, Nanny."

Scratch, scratch.

Lucia scratched her stomach as she said this.

Snap.

"…Starting today, there's no more food. Go get it yourself."

"Hmph! I'll go get it myself, then."

"There's nothing left. If you want to eat, you'll have to go buy it yourself."

A wicked smile spread across the nanny's lips.

Lucia was now in a position where she had no choice but to go outside.

"What? Nanny, are you crazy?"

"You're the one who's crazy. How can you be a spinster until your mid-thirties? Do you plan to be a spinster for life!?"

Thud!

Spinster.

A deep wound was carved into Lucia's heart.

For her nanny, who had been with her all her life, to say such harsh words.

It was truly sad.

"Nanny! I'm an adult! I'll handle my marriage well!"

"An adult doesn't roll around for a month, or scratch their stomach asking for food! And you need to meet people to get married, don't you?"

Thud, thud, thud!

All true, and she couldn't argue.

As Lucia fell into despair.

"I wish the youngest could be at least half as good as you."

"Huh? What do you mean? She should be like me. I grew up to be such an excellent adult."

"The youngest rolling around and scratching her stomach… Don't say such terrible things."

"Meow! Nanny hates me! Give me food!"

Lucia rolled around on the bed, wrapped in the sheets.

She was really annoying, so annoying.

'With a pretty face and a good figure, why doesn't she date?'

Lucia looked younger than her actual age by about ten years.

Despite many matchmakers, she stayed locked in her room, and people who waited in line ended up marrying others and even having children.

The nanny, who had been holding her head, suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, I received a message from the head of the family. Here's a letter…"

"Another demon? Where is it this time?"

Lucia, who had been lying under the sheets, vanished in an instant and appeared in front of the nanny.

Her eyes turned fierce. The innocent girl from a moment ago was gone.

But after reading the letter, Lucia couldn't help but feel deflated.

-Write an apology. It's an order.

"Huh?"

In her mid-thirties.

Suddenly, she had to write an apology.

* * *

"Oh, that's what it was?"

Only after listening to the nanny's explanation did Lucia understand the current situation.

'Well, it's a bit unfair, but if it helps…'

At the time of the incident, Lucia was in her third year.

As a senior, she was traveling around the empire to gain experience.

She had never even heard the name Lutherus, let alone seen his face.

But if her honor was slightly tarnished, the Lucid family, Rodelin, and Lutherus would all benefit.

A deal with far more gains than losses.

Lucia decided to write the apology.

"Our cute youngest caused an accident. How can she make even accidents so adorable?"

Although the youngest had been put on the street, Lucia wasn't in a bad mood.

She felt a strong sense of trust from the family.

Lucia sprawled out on the bed.

She thought it was a new demon extermination order, but it wasn't, and the reason the youngest reported her was rather boring.

If it had been a challenge, she would have taken care of it with love.

"Why does our family obsess over honor so much?"

"Are you showing favoritism? You're doting on the youngest."

"What if my honor takes a hit? I don't care about honor, but there's no reason for it to drop. I might as well let it be cut a bit."

Such a cheeky statement from a lazy person.

But the nanny had to admit it.

Lucia de Lucid.

Her achievements alone could fill two pages of the imperial chronicles.

The accomplishments and prestige of the name Lucia were unassailable.

Except for one thing.

"That great honor is being chipped away by being a spinster."

"Ah! Nanny! I told you to stop saying that!"

"Have you ever had a romantic relationship?"

"Many! I've met enough men to fill three books!"

Sure, sure.

Always chasing demons and too tired to get out of bed.

Three books? Three words would be a miracle.

"By the way, who are you talking about?"

"What do you mean?"

"Our cute youngest couldn't have come up with such a scheme. Someone must have advised her. Who was it?"

"…Are you underestimating the youngest too much?"

Lucia chuckled.

"Do I not know our youngest? She can't think so flexibly."

Noble, upright, and principled.

The youngest, Rodelin, possessed all three.

Even if she could gain greater honor, she wouldn't betray the family.

'Besides, the two of them are quite close.'

The nanny sighed and spoke.

"A student named Zero. A commoner who ranked third in the entrance exam. That's all I know."

"Ah, that's not much of a secret. I thought it was someone from a rival family."

"Is there such a family in the Lucid family?"

"No. I made them all realize their place."

A light statement, but the meaning was not light.

The fact that she could say such things so casually showed the current position of the Lucid family.

"Hmm, anyway… Should I go see the youngest's face for the first time in a while?"

"Go to the academy? There's no need to…"

"Hmm… I also want to see that Zero."

"Why?"

"Well… If he's smart, it would be good to recruit him?"

Tsk.

The nanny clicked her tongue. This was why she tried to hide information about Zero.

'I didn't want to give her a reason.'

She was already busy looking for a marriage partner, and now she wanted to visit the academy.

A waste of time.

But it was fine. She had anticipated this.

"I knew you would, so I set up a schedule."

"Really? You're amazing, Nanny."

"Thank you, Miss. Shall we prepare?"

The nanny took out several items from the wardrobe.

Jewelry, shoes, and a dress. A very splendid one.

"…Why are you taking those out if we're going to the academy?"

"It's a noble party, of course."

"Huh? What noble party?"

"I've arranged all the parties on the way to the academy. You can look for a marriage partner while you're there."

"…?"

Lucia pressed herself against the wall.

"I don't want to go. My dress doesn't fit because I'm fat."

"I've prepared a very sturdy corset, so don't worry."

The nanny pulled the corset's strings as if to reassure her.

Her eyes sparkled, and she even spun around.

Hmm, can only demons do that?

"I've been having bad rumors lately. My already inflated honor just took a hit…"

"It's fine. You have a big family and a big butt, Miss."

The nanny's eyes spun around again.

A demon. A demon obsessed with marriage!

"Ah, aaaaaah!!"

Until Lucia de Lucid's visit to the academy.

D-30.

* * *

"Hmm?"

She opened her eyes, but all she saw were the sleeping children and the swaying carriage.

She was sure she had heard a scream from somewhere.

She tried to go back to sleep, but the ride of the carriage made it hard to fall asleep.

She decided to organize her current situation and thoughts.

'Are we still far from the dungeon?'

Our class was currently on a carriage heading to the dungeon.

A practical lesson fighting monsters. The teacher in charge is Caron.

'I'm not worried.'

The bigger problem is what comes next.

'What hidden piece should I aim for next?'

It was natural to be in a dilemma.

Most of the hidden pieces I had in mind, especially the attack skills, had become useless.

'There are some useful skills in B and C ranks…'

But that was only until I obtained [God's Imitation].

Now that I've imitated Rodelin's [Sky Split], lower-level attack skills are meaningless.

'There are no restrictions on using Sky Split.'

There's no mana or mental cost, or any unique price for the skill.

It can be used repeatedly.

'I can only get useful hidden pieces as the episode progresses…'

We haven't even faced the boss of Episode 1 yet.

With many locked locations, items, and characters.

'Becoming too strong too quickly is also bad.'

By shortening it to Episode 1, it's all over.

The problem is that my abilities are too outstanding.

Ah, I'm so scared of myself.

"Can you move a bit to the side?"

"Get closer. Look at that ominous smile."

"She's definitely planning something suspicious."

"Is she finally going to summon a demon!?"

…A world that can't accept a genius.

Should I really turn into a dark sorcerer? I was seriously considering it.

"We've arrived. Everyone, get out."

We've reached the ant nest.